Refrigerating system or apparatus



C. N. WUNNENBERG REFRIGERATING SYSTEM OR APPARATUS Filed Nov. 1, 1925ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 5, 1926."

uNiTsusrArEs PATENT OFFlCE.

cums N. WUNNENIBEBG, or NEW YoRx, N. Y., ASSIGNOB or ONE-HALF mo 2111mmwm'rn, or New YORK, N. Y.

. mimics-marine SYSTEM 03. urmrns.

Application filed November 1, 1928. swarm. 672,108.

My invention relates. to improved refrigerating apparatus of theabsorption'type.

The general object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of thistype which is simple, compact, and inexpensive, and is thereforeadaptable for domestic use. I

A further important object is to dispense with any pump or motor driveand thus avoid complications and annoyances incident to motor drivenapparatus, especially in domestic installations, and to further enablethe apparatus to be used in.any ,place where a convenient source ofheat, such as gas or electricity, is available. The characteristicsand'advantages of the invention are sufliciently further explained inconnection with the following detail description of the accompanyingdrawing, which shows an exemplifying embodiment of the invention. Afterconsidering this, persons skilled in the art will understand that manyvariations may -be made within the principles of the invention, and Icontemplate the employment of any structures j. which are properlywithin the scope of the appended claim. 7

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of an apparatus embodying the invention inone form as applied to a domestic refrigerator.

Fig. 2 is a sectional diagram of the apparatus.

F ig; 3 is a sectional detail of a modified heating arran ement.

' Referring r st. to the diagram, Fig. 2, a main or solution tank 1,which may otherwisebe identified as a heating tank, is filled with asolution of ammonia in water, of

suitable strength, say approximately up to about the indicated level,leaving usu- 40 ally a moderate space at the top of the tank above thesolution level: Within the tank below the solution level, is a coolingcoi- 2 to which water is supplied through a ipe 3 and dischargedthrough. a pipe 4. ear the bottom of the tank is areturn pipe 5 havinsmall apertures or jets 6 arranged to'disc arge ammonia' gas downwardtoward the tank bottom. This return pipe has an external portion 7. Thetank is supplied with any suitable heating means such as a gas burnerpipe 8 having jets or nozzles 9 witha suitable valve 10 and air mixer 11to supply combustible air and gas mixture to the 'ets. Otherwise anyother known or suitable eating arrangement may be proconnectin through apipe 19 to a condensing jacket 20 vided, such as an electric resistanceheatmg element enclosed in a. tube or casing 12 (l ig. 3) this casingbeing located within the tank and submerged in the body of solutiontherein. Conductors 13 are indicated for the electric heating element toany ,su ta le or convenient power line, and any suitable regulatingmeans such as a switch may be provided, these details formmg no :partofthe present invention. Preferably located substantially abov tank 1 1sa moisture separator 14, consisting of an outer jacket or casing towhich ammonia gas s conveyed from the upper part of tank 1 through apipe 15. Within the separator 14 is a tubular water jacket 16suppliedwith water through a pipe 17 and discharging water through apipe 18. The ammonia gas is taken from ,separator 14 76 surrounding aslightly inclined portion 17, of a pipe 17, this portion being ofsubstantial length and preferably connecting with a substantiallyvertical ortion 17 the condensing jacket 20 con orming to thearrangement of the cooling pipe, and conductmg' ammonia gas andcondensed ammonia in a counter-flow relation to the movement of coolingwater in the pipe. From the lower end of the condensing jacket a. pipe22 conveys condensed ammonia to a fourway valve 24. A pipe26, when thevalve is set as'shown in Fig. 2, conveys the li uefied ammonia to areceiving tank27. xpansion or refrigerating pipes 28 communicate withthe upper part of tank 27 above the normal maximum ammonia leveltherein. While the number and arrangement of these pipes may varygreatly, they usually have a substantiall 1 downward course andterminate in a hea er 29 from which a pi e 30 leads to four-way valve.24 in opposite relation to the point of connection of pipe 17previously mentioned.

\Vhil e' the water supply arrangement may conveniently, a substantialunitary val-{pf coo mg water system is provided, including a single suply pipe 35. This supply pipe leads to a t rec-way valve 40 in the sameflow line as pipe 3 previously mentioned, and portion 17 of pipe 17communicates with this three-way valve in the position clearlyindicated. A single discharge. pipe 45 is connected to pipes 4 and 18,and a controlling valve 36 is placed in pipe 45.

; by a link 52. One of the levers such as is extended to ating handle53.

Desirably the receiving tank 27 is provided with a drain pipe leading tothe solution tank, conveniently by connection to pipe 15, and controlledby valve 61, to permit any water accumulating in the receiver to bedrawn ofi at a suitable time and returned to the solution tank, forinstance, after all ammonia has been removed from the receiver tank inthe expansion part of the cycle. This water draining operation is onlynecessary at relatively infrequent intervals since water accumulatesonly slowly,

provide a convenient operif at all, in the receiving tank.

The operation is as follows:

At the end of the expansion cycle tank 1 is filled up to normal levelwith an aqueous solution of ammonia of proper strength, and receiver 27is empty. The valves are then set in the position indicated in Fig. 2,shutting off cooling water from coil 2 and supplying cooling water tothe system including pipe portions 17 17*, 17*, 17, cooling jacket 16 inthe separator, and return pipe 18 to water discharge pipe 45. Valve 2 1is positioned to afford communication between pipes 22 and 26, and toclose pipe 30 at the valve. Heat is now applied to tank 1, for instance,by the gas heater shown, sufficient to gradually drive oil ammonia gasfrom solution without unduly heatin or aproaching the boiling point of.t e water.

Q The heating process is continued until the desired part of ammoniacontent is driven oif in the form of vapor through pipe 15 to separatorcasing 14, where the vapor comes into contact with cooling jacket 16,and any moisture in the ammonia gas is condensed and returns to tank 1through pipe 15. The ammonia vapor continues through pipe 19 tocondensing jacket 20. On its course through this jacket as indicated bythe arrows, it is gradually chilled and condensed by the lowering of itstemperature and pressure caused by the heating operation. The

liquefied ammonia passes from pipe 26 to receiving tank 27 and at theend of the heating operation rises about to the level indicated,somewhat below the upper ends of expansion pipes 28. Heating of tank 1is now discontinued and handle 53 is moved to place the valves in theirother operative position. Communication between pipes 22 and 26-is thusout off at valve 24 while the valve establishes counication betweenpipes 30 and 7; the water circulation is also changed so that waterflows from the main supply pipe 35 to pipe 3 and so to and through thecooling coil in tank 1 and out again through pipe 4 to the maindischarge pipe 45. The cooling of the water in tank 1 and vapor in theupper tank space and in pipe 15, and connected vapor' passages, producesa reduction of pressure in tank 1 which, in turn, lowers the pressure onthe liquid ammonia 'in receiving tank 27. vaporization of this ammoniatherefore begins, the vapor passing down through theexpansionpipes andabsorbing heat therefrom and from any surroundin materials or chambertobe refrigerated, t e warmed vapor reaching header 29 and passingthrough pipes 30 and 7 to return pipe 5, and issuing from the smallapertures'or jets 6 into a large body of cool waterwhichquickly. absorbsthe heated gas. This process continues until all, or substantially allthe liquid ammonia in the receiver is expanded and re-absorbed intosolution in tank 1, or in other words, until the solution is restored toits normal strength. The cycle may then be repeated. The'expansion orrefrigerating partof the cycle may be controlled as to duration orintensity by regulating the flow of cooling water in coil 2, that is, bymanipulating valve 36-which controls the movement of cooling water. Ifthe valve is closed partly or entirely the. flow of cooling water.

is correspondingly reduced and the capacity of the water in tank 1 tore-absorb the warm ammonia gas is correspondingly reduced or, in otherwords, the pressure in receiving tank 27 is raised and evaporation ofthe liquid ammonia is correspondingly re- Fig. 1 shows the apparatusapplied to, or

associated with, a domestic refri erator as only one example of itspractical adaptations.

The receiver 27 and refrigerating pipes 28 are conveniently arrangedwithin a refri erator or ice box B having doors D as usuzfi, tank 27being located upwardly and at the rear of the refrigerator interior, andexpansion pipes 28 and header 29 being also at the back of the box wherethey are out of the way and leave the greatest amount of room forarticles to be refrigerated. Other parts of the apparatus are supportedupon or at one side of the refrigerator, as sufficiently By thedescribed construction and arrangement of parts the control ofcirculation is obtained by the manipulation of a single element, namely,the handle 53, and control of the heat supply. The valves are therebypositioned so that no accident or faulty operation can be caused byimproper positioning of the main valves of the apparatus. Aside fromhandle 53, the onlycontrolling element is the water valve 36 whichcontrols the amount of water supplied to coil 2 during the refrigeratingpart of the cycle. This very simple control dispenses with any expansionvalve adjacent to the receiver or the expansion pipes- 28 and obviatesany danger of leakage or any difficulties of operation in the hands ofinexperienced users such as are frequently incident to the use ofexpansion valves. Pumps or power devices of any sort are also dispensedwith and the apparatus is therefore not only simple and economical inthe first instance, but is easily kept in condition without any expensefor repairs such as are necessary in connection with motors and pumpsemployed in other systems.

What I claim is:

A refrigerating system of the class described, comprising a solutiontank, means for supplying heat to it, a separator located at asubstantial elevation above the solution tank, a-condensing passagehaving a main portion located above the separator and slop ing downward,a receiver located at a level intermediate the solution tank and the"separator, a vapor passage extending approxi mately vertically from thesolution tank to the separator, a passage from the separator to theinitial end of the condensing passage,

a controllable connection from the discharge end of the condensingpassage to the receiver, expansion pipes proceeding from the receiver, acontrollable return connection from the expansion pipes to the solutiontank, cooling means for the solution tank, cooling jackets for theseparator and condensing passage, and a valve drain connection from thereceiver to the vertical passage connecting the solution tank and theseparator.

Signed at New York in the county of New York and State of New York this31st day of October A. D. 1923.

CHARLES N. WUNNENBERG.

